Arm is entering the graphics upscaling arena with its new Accuracy Super Resolution (ASR) technology, designed to significantly enhance GPU performance on mobile devices. ASR is a temporal upscaler built upon AMD’s open-source FidelityFX Super Resolution 2 (FSR2). This compatibility allows developers to easily integrate ASR, leveraging familiar APIs and configuration options. While AMD’s FSR and Nvidia’s DLSS have primarily boosted graphical fidelity on gaming PCs, enabling higher frame rates and rendering capabilities, Arm’s focus is on maximizing power savings through reduced GPU use. This is crucial for mobile devices where thermal throttling can significantly degrade performance.
Peter Hodges, Arm’s Director for Ecosystem Strategy, emphasized ASR’s ability to maintain high-quality visuals while operating at lower temperatures, effectively reducing thermal throttling. This leads to a more stable and enjoyable gaming experience, allowing for longer device engagement. A key differentiator for ASR lies in its optimization for devices with lower memory bandwidth, like mobile GPUs with integrated graphics.
Arm claims that ASR utilizes only a third of FSR2’s GPU resources at equivalent resolutions and scaling factors, resulting in 20% to 40% better frame rates on Arm devices. In a specific test using a 2x upscaling resolution, ASR boosted frame rates by 53%, outperforming FSR2’s 36% increase.
Tests conducted with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300 chip revealed that employing 2x ASR reduced power consumption by over 20% compared to native 1080p rendering. This translates to extended battery life and reduced overheating, addressing key concerns for mobile gamers. Once the ASR specification is released, it will be up to OS makers and game developers to adopt it.
Apple is anticipated to continue using its MetalFX upscaling technology, also derived from AMD’s FSR. Microsoft is promoting Automatic Super Resolution for its Qualcomm-based Arm devices and is working on a vendor-agnostic upscaling API called DirectSR. Qualcomm also introduced its Snapdragon Game Super Resolution a little over a year ago.
While this hardware-agnostic technology promises superior image quality and performance across a wide range of devices, it’s too early to determine if it can establish a new standard in mobile graphics upscaling.
